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East gets the least
Page 20
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Agency workers from Eastern Europe are reportedly being exploited in the UK logistics sector. The Transport and General Workers Union tells Bridget Carter what it is doing to tackle the problem.
Senior organiser for the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) Mick Cashman says there have been cases where Polish workers have been asked to sign a contract written in English, even though they cannot understand what they are signing.
As a response to this, the union has hired Polish staff to work as translators, enabling the drivers to understand the documents they are signing.
Cashman says that although the union is helping workers in this area, the responsibility should fall to the employer.
"Our advice is that a document given to a worker in a language they do not understand is not binding," he says.
Pay and conditions Cashman warns that it companies continue to hire migrant agency workers on less pay and with poorer conditions than permanent staff members, the union will respond with "traditional industrial methods" to stop this discrimination.
This action could include protests. lobbying of the companies concerned and seeking support from their customers.
"We'll be going to stores asking, 'Do you feel it's legitimate to treat people this way?',he adds.
Cashman cites the case of two Tesco depots run by Wincanton in Middleton. Manchester, where 1,200 staff are employed by Wincanton and 120 work for the agency Driving Edge.
The union claims that the Driving Edge workers are not on the same pay and conditions as those hired directly by Wincanton, even though they are doing the same work. This is disputed by Driving Edge, which says the terms it offers are "very competitive".
Tesco says it is investigating, but the union wants an undertaking from the supermarket that it will take the matter further and ensure that all workers have the same rights and get paid the same rates for the same job (014 6 July).
Cashman says that the union has been trying to meet with Wincanton and Tesco to discuss the situation.
Lobbying the government
The union is lobbying the government to impose stricter penalties on companies that can be proven to be breaking the law on pay and conditions it alleges that some firms pay less than the £5.20 minimum wage.
Others are said to make deductions from wages for things like accommodation and transport. In one case an agency deducted 0 a week for 'carpet cleaning' when some of workers concerned did not even have carpet in the accommodation that was provided.
Legal action
The union has lodged two cases with the Employment Tribunals Service in Manchester.
It is accusing Driving Edge of racial discrimination against its Eastern European workers. "This is the first time we've used [the race discrimination [ legislation," Cashman reports, Another agency, Resource, is being taken to tribunal for its alleged treatment of warehouse workers in Castleton, close to Rochdale. Greater Manchester: this case also concerns deductions from wages.
Both firms deny the union's allegations.
Union representation
The union is urging agency workers to join the union and become shop stewards. It says to date 100 agency workers have joined up atTesco's Middleton sites.
Support networks
The union is also in the process of setting up a support network called the Migrant Workers Institute to help agency workers who have just arrived in the UK with issues such as housing problems and registering with a GP.
"When they come to the UK they aren't given welfare support basic stuff like information on where to register with a general practitioner," Cashman explains. "Some agencies provide accommodation, but it varies considerably in quality." •